-
The History of COINTELPRO
What was COINTELPRO? Have you heard of COINTELPRO? The full name is “Counter Intelligence Program,” and was a project under the Federal Bureau of Investigations, or FBI. The project lasted between 1956-1971, when it was discovered after the Citizen’s Commission to Investigate the FBI broke into a Pennsylvania FBI office and stole files. The FBI…
-
The History of Lake Lanier
The Dark History of Lake Lanier – Rooted in Racial Violence Did you know that Lake Lanier in Georgia is not a “lake” at all, but a man-made reservoir? And did you know that its history is steeped in racial violence? Racial violence is never a pretty part of history, but it is important history…
-
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
What Happened in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911? On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out in the building which housed the Triangle Waist Company. The company manufactured “shirt waists” (women’s blouses) on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors. The fire was especially deadly because the owners had locked the doors and stairwells…
-
The Montgomery Bus Boycotts
Activists of All Ages On March 2, 1955, fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin was riding the bus home when she was asked to move to the back – and she stayed seated. She was arrested and thrown in jail for violating segregation laws. In October 1955, eighteen-year-old Mary Louise Smith refused to give up her seat. She,…
-
Freedom House Paramedics
Who Were the Freedom House Paramedics? Today, we are used to the sight of ambulances roaring past us on the highway, as emergency care is provided in the back by EMTs and paramedics. But before the Freedom House Paramedics team was founded in 1967, emergency hospital transport was provided by police or funeral homes. The…
-
Seneca Village
Today, over forty-two million people a year walk through Central Park in New York. The park itself is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the bustling New York City, however its history is less than sparkling. That same area used to be home to a thriving town called Seneca Village. It all started in…
